The New IT Crowd the Role of the IT Director in Simplifying Complexity
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The New IT Crowd The role of the IT director in simplifying complexity THE PERSPECTIVE SERIES New insights into the UK workplace In partnership with Vodafone UK Foreword In times of change, we’ve seen again and again that those who sit back and don’t react, risk being left behind. This means we’re all constantly having to evolve and adapt the way we do business. It’s exciting, but also challenging. What’s fuelling this change? As we’ve explored in previous reports in the Perspective series, the answer is lots of things; not least the rapid consumerisation of technology. It has changed the way that enterprise and people work. To meet these challenges head on, successful businesses are looking to redefine Jeroen Hoencamp, the role of the IT director. Skill sets are changing and expectations are rising, so it’s CEO, Vodafone UK no surprise we are seeing senior IT directors shifting from a reactionary role to a front seat in the development of overall business strategy. At Vodafone, we’ve responded to this shift by developing award-winning teams of digital, technology and innovation specialists. But top teams need leadership and so the greatest change has been in the new multi-dimensional role of the CIO and CTO. We are witnessing a new breed of leaders, who are surrounded by digital natives and have to continually develop and enhance their knowledge and skill sets. These leaders are driven by an understanding of strategic business needs they are a more innovative, entrepreneurial species than their predecessors. The job description used to be technologist first, technical people manager second and business manager, if at all, last. But in this latest report in the Perspective series, we’ve seen that today it is a very different story. We explore the new role of the IT director in modern businesses. Our research reflects a trend of senior IT directors with a growing remit of responsibilities, requiring them to not only have a full understanding of the businesses they work in, but also to explore new ways to enable a competitive edge whilst delivering excellent customer service. The new CIO needs to have both business and leadership skills as well as technological ability. I’d like to say a big thank you to Circle Research and all our contributors for their independent insight and guidance. Of course, I’d also like to thank all the business leaders who took part in the research for their time and shared their views and insights. We hope you enjoy the results and find the report enlightening and thought-provoking. More from the Perspective series The Perspective series gives you fresh insight into the world of work. Find this latest report at Jeroen Hoencamp, www.yourbetterbusiness.co.uk/perspective CEO, Vodafone UK and for other resources and insights www.vodafone.co.uk/perspective Contents The people behind it Page 4 Introduction Page 5 Research • The New IT Crowd Page 6 • Simplifying complexity Page 9 • It’s your call Page 11 Perspectives • Andrew Brown, Executive Director of Enterprise Research, Strategy Analytics Page 15 • Neil Stride, Channel Head for Mobile Data Solutions, Vodafone UK Page 17 • Owen Daley, Managing Director, SilverBug Page 20 • Tony Bailey, Head of Enterprise Services, Vodafone UK Page 22 • Daniel Rajkumar, Managing Director, WebTranslations Page 24 Final thought and recommendations • Five tips for the New IT Crowd Page 27 • References Page 28 • Methodology Page 29 Length Read time 300 IT directors and 29 Non-IT business 2 Pages 300 leaders surveyed Cups of tea 3 The people behind it Andrew Brown, Executive Director for Enterprise Research, Strategy Analytics Andrew leads a team that advises on all aspects of the enterprise ecosystem; from enterprise software and cloud computing to mobilising line-of-business applications, enterprise and mobile broadband devices, mHealth, and M2M Communications. With over 17 years of experience, Andrew is considered a thought leader in the wireless, M2M and enterprise domain. Prior to joining Strategic Analytics in 1997, Brown worked for Lucas Automotive GmbH in Germany as a market analyst. He gained a joint honours degree in Marketing and German from Lancaster University in the UK. Neil Stride, Channel Head for Mobile Data Solutions, Vodafone UK Neil joined Vodafone UK in 2008 having previously held a number of roles at Nortel, including Head of Unified Communications and Fixed Mobile Convergence. Since joining Vodafone Neil has successfully acquired and integrated a mobile applications business, been instrumental in Vodafone’s Better Ways of Working transformation and now leads a business development team helping organisations to transform the way they work through field applications, mobile security and fully managed services. Owen Daley, Managing Director, SilverBug After working in senior IT roles at Microsoft, HP, IBM, Barclays and Lloyds, starting up the award-winning IT systems management company, SilverBug, was the next natural step for Owen. Owen’s vision in founding SilverBug was to provide SMEs with enabling technology and services to allow them to unlock their own business potential. SilverBug helps its clients achieve business excellence through the provision of better IT. Tony Bailey, Head of Enterprise Services, Vodafone UK Vodafone Enterprise Services provides communications and IT services to Vodafone’s UK customers. Prior to his current role, Tony headed up Vodafone Partner Services and ran a global product management function. Prior to Vodafone, Tony worked for Nortel and began his career at BT’s Research Laboratories. Daniel Rajkumar, Managing Director, WebTranslations Daniel Rajkumar is the owner of several web-based businesses including WebTranslations, an award-winning translation business he has owned for 12 years that combines language, technology and web expertise to help businesses profit from international trade online; and rebuildingsociety.com, a peer-to-business lending platform. 4 INTRODUCTION RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES FINAL THOUGHT Introduction The ever increasing speed of innovation in new technologies has had a seismic impact on the business landscape in recent years, more so than at any time in history. As we’ve seen in earlier reports in the Perspective series, this speed of change has in turn led 86% to a change in the expectations of both your customers and employees. And no one OF IT DIRECTORS has felt that change more than the IT department. FEEL THAT THEY NEED In this report we explore the role of senior IT professionals in the ‘new’ business TO THINK MORE ABOUT landscape. We weren’t surprised by the results – 63% described the change as THE STRATEGIC AND significant. Increasingly, they feel that they are expected to be more involved in the TRANSFORMATIONAL direction and future of the business, while at the same time managing an increasingly ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY complicated technology and communications estate. Where once the IT department’s role was perceived as backing up data and mending misfiring computers, Chief Information Officers now have a strategic role in enabling THE RSA/VODAFONE how teams across the organisation work together. This report reveals that 86% of IT Directors feel that they need to think more about the strategic and transformational FLEX REPORT role that technology plays within their business. RESEARCH IDENTIFIED IT is no longer seen as separate to the operation of a business – they are increasingly being urged by other departments to get more involved and £8.1billion collaborate more effectively. This has its advantages: as the third-largest expense SAVINGS AVAILABLE on many company accounts, IT now has the opportunity to move from a cost TO UK BUSINESS FROM centre to one that supports the profit of the business. WORKING FLEXIBLY Meeting this challenge is all about understanding and adapting to change. And part of the challenge is dealing with complexity – the range of devices, apps, contracts and suppliers that IT Directors have to deal with has exploded. Nearly 55% of IT Directors say they’ve seen their communications (fixed and mobile) estate become more complex over the last two to three years. But it doesn’t stop there – it’s also about how technology has changed all our expectations of how we live our lives. For businesses, these expectations are shaping the way we operate. And it’s not only your customers who now expect it – your employees do too. They want more flexibility and choice in not only where, but how they work. With 47% of organisational leaders reporting that their employees have become more interested in their work-life balance, employers are quickly realising the value in terms of “People are looking to technology employee productivity and talent retention. What’s more, the recent RSA/Vodafone not just as an internal, admin Flex Report1 research identified £8.1 billion of savings available to UK business from function, but as a whole business working flexibly. These changes are significant – they are also so fundamental to the enabler. IT is now at the heart of immediate success of your business that they require a strategic, organisation-wide a successful business strategy.” response. The days of the IT Director on the periphery of decision-making are over. Whether you are a senior IT professional facing these changes (either willingly Owen Daley, or forced!) or a business director wanting to build and grow your business and senior Founder and Managing Director, leadership team, read on. SilverBug 5 INTRODUCTION RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES FINAL THOUGHT Research The new IT crowd So, we can see that expectations of the IT department have changed in the last few years. In fact, almost two-thirds of the 300 IT directors we surveyed for this report went so far as to describe the magnitude of change as significant. And the seismic impact of new technologies is at the centre of this.